Clockwise from above : Queen Mary 2 in New York City ; beef wellington ; interior of Queen Elizabeth

How did you become a chef ? My mother was a cook , so I inherited the passion from her . My twin brother Nicholas and I would help her at the golf club where she worked .

How did you end up working with a cruise line ? I used to work for a chef called Harold St . Quinton and he spent several years at sea working on the original Queen Mary and Franconia . He ’ d boast about how exciting and rewarding a career at sea was ‘ back in the day .’ I decided to apply and of course , my first choice was Cunard . I ’ m so very proud to be working with such an iconic British brand . I ’ ve devoted 23 very memorable and rewarding years of my life on board many Cunard ships including Queen Elizabeth 2 , Queen Mary 2 , Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria . I ’ m looking forward to being part of the build team for our fabulous new ship Queen Anne .

What exactly does your work with the cruise line involve ? My current role is executive chef on board Queen

Victoria . I work closely with the shipboard and shoreside Food and Beverage team to create the best possible culinary experience for each and every guest . I manage a team of 200 and oversee all culinary operations on board . In a typical day , I ’ ll meet with my team and discuss daily menus , menu forecasting , waste performance , onboard events , obstacles and challenges . I ’ ll visit all the dining venues , checking setup , food quality , food tasting and review the items we have in storage .

Where do you love to travel ? I love Asia and North America . For me , it ’ s all about the food , culture , breathtaking landscapes , structures and sunsets .

How do you add local , seasonal ingredients while you ’ re out at sea ? Well , of course , it all depends where in the world we are . We buy fresh fish and specialty ingredients at local markets on port stops during the World Voyage to complement the region we ’ re in .

images : Justin Mackintosh ; Jonathan Atkin ; CUNARD

72 • pos t c a rds